On episode three of College Town Talk, co-hosts Jonathan Frank and Shan Stout are joined by Becky Magura, a Tennessee Tech alumna and the President and CEO of Nashville Public Television (NPT), as well as Dr. Michael Aikens, the director of the Center for Rural Innovation at Tennessee Tech and the administrative chair of the Rural Reimagined Grand Challenge.

College Town Talk, Episode 3 - Becky Magura and Michael Aikens

On episode four of College Town Talk, co-hosts Jonathan Frank and Shan Stout are joined by State Representative Ryan Williams and Charria Campbell, the director of student engagement and Intercultural Affairs at Tennessee Tech.

College Town Talk, Episode 4- State Representative Ryan Williams and Charria Campbell

On episode five of College Town Talk, co-hosts Jonathan Frank and Shan Stout are joined by Dr. Lori Mann Bruce, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Tennessee Tech, and Biskie Duncan, a Tennessee Tech alumna now serving as morning news anchor for KSLA News 12 in Shreveport, Louisiana.

College Town Talk, Episode 5 - Provost Lori Mann Bruce and Biskie Duncan

On episode six of College Town Talk, co-hosts Jonathan Frank and Shan Stout are joined by Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter and Dr. Cynthia Polk-Johnson, Vice President for Student Affairs at Tennessee Tech.

College Town Talk, Episode 6 - Mayor Randy Porter and Dr. Cynthia Polk-Johnson

On episode seven of College Town Talk, co-hosts Jonathan Frank and Shan Stout talk with Andrew Buckner, a Tennessee Tech alumnus and local musician who also serves as editor-in-chief of Cookeville Lifestyle. Later in the program, we're joined by Terri Ritter, the president of the Cookeville Art Studio & CAS Gallery.

College Town Talk, Episode 7 - Andrew Buckner and Terri Ritter

On episode eight of College Town Talk, co-hosts Jonathan Frank and Shan Stout speak with Addison Dorris, a Tennessee Tech senior and current student trustee on the university's Board of Trustees. Later in the program, we're joined by Dr. Sean Ochsenbein, a proud Tennessee Tech alumnus, 2018 Medal of Valor recipient, and chief medical officer with Ballad Health at several East Tennessee hospitals.

College Town Talk, Episode 8 - Addison Dorris and Dr. Sean Ochsenbein

On episode 10 of College Town Talk, co-hosts Jonathan Frank and Shan Stout speak with Chance Hale, a junior at Tennessee Tech and president of the Student Government Association. Later, we hear from Emma Crabtree, a Tennessee Tech alumna who owns Glass Tangerine, a plant shop and mercantile located in Cookeville's historic West Side.

College Town Talk, Episode 10 - Chance Hale and Emma Crabtree

On a special episode of College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan memorialize Michelle Huddleston, a longtime Tennessee Tech staff member and proud alumna who passed away on Oct. 21. Joining us to share tributes are Tennessee Tech Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Robert Owens, Tennessee Tech Dean of Students Dr. Katie Aikens, Tennessee Tech Vice President for Enrollment and Communication Karen Lykins, Tennessee Tech Assistant Vice President for Health, Wellness, and Wellbeing Sandra Bohannon, and Former Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton along with his wife, Shannon.

As discussed in this episode, the Tennessee Tech Food Pantry was a passion of Michelle's and a hallmark of her legacy on campus. Please consider giving toward the fund to rename the food pantry in Michelle's memory at https://giving.tntech.edu/pages/food-pantry.

College Town Talk, Episode 11 - Remembering Michelle Huddleston

To kick off 2025, Jonathan and Shan catch up with Dr. Katie Aikens, Tennessee Tech's dean of students and assistant vice president for strategic initiatives. Dr. Aikens shares about her path to working in higher education, the significance of becoming Tech's first female dean of students, and the fulfillment she finds through her involvement with a local nonprofit. Then, we're chatting with Dr. Stephen Canfield, professor of mechanical engineering at Tennessee Tech. Dr. Canfield shares about the changes he's seen at Tech over his more than 25 years on campus and tells us about the inspiration behind his popular "Tech Engineering for Kids" program. 

College Town Talk, Episode 41 - Dr. Katie Aikens and Dr. Stephen Canfield

College Town Talk is a podcast from Tennessee Tech University in partnership with the Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors Bureau. Each week, hosts Jonathan Frank and Shan Stout introduce listeners to Tech faculty, staff and students – as well as successful Tech alumni, local business owners and civic leaders – who are making a difference and living Wings Up in their community.

College Town Talk, Episode 41 - Dr. Katie Aikens and Dr. Stephen Canfield

Tennessee Tech University

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